Music Monday #4: Catching Up

On Music Monday this week:
1. Introduction
2. Favorite Listings
3. Etta Cameron homage
4. Top 5 Most Played Songs on Music Player
5. Drop me a line.

Finally, I took the time to catch up on things.

First of all, I promised to do a Brocktour-themed Music Monday. The idea was really to round up the bands I remember from the Rock Services in Brorson’s Church – and given that it has been a couple of months since then, and the latest passed Friday was the last Rock Service of the season, not only is there a bigger number of bands to pick of – it’s a perfect occassion to pick up on it.

Second of all, I thought I’d do a little homage to Etta Cameron, who passed away in March.

Starting out with the Brocktour (Brorson’s Rocktour) theme, I picked from what I remember from the Rock Services and Tours throughout my two years in Brorson’s Church:

Five Brock-bands never escaping my memory
LIPS (www.myspace.com/thelipsdk)
This is one of the two first bands I remember experiencing at a Rock Service. Actually, it’s the first one I remember clearly – perhaps mainly because the activity coordinator at the time, Loa, who was also on my first Brocktour (which was last year), is the singer of the band. The present activity coordinator, Ulrich, who was on my second tour (which was this year), is on the keys in the band.
They have a sort of dance/disco-quality to their music – and in spite of not being too crazy about too much reminding me of the 1980’s music-wise (with very few exceptions – I think I’ve been environmentally damaged in both directions), I actually like it!

Niepoort (www.myspace.com/niepoort)
Niepoort was the band who joined us for the Brocktour in 2009. It’s the first time I remember experiencing the accesability of a band like I did, although I often sensed it at other Rock Services with other bands. You just seem to get a better sense of people if you spend more time with them, I suppose.
As for their music, I remember them using a tiny megaphone to sing through at one of the songs, which gave a pretty nifty effect. Besides that, I find that the lead singer (Gustav Niepoort – another Dane with a Dutch last name!, I love! ;D) has a voice I’m not really sure how to describe, although I love it. Take a listen – can anyone help me coin a description?

Black Rose Trick (www.myspace.com/blackrosetrick)
Black Rose trick was with us at our latest Brocktour – and how great it was to experience! I’ll never forget blogging, tweeting, sorting photos, or napping to the sound of Guitar Hero in the salon in the back of the bus.
Listening to their recordings, they sound more ambient than they do live; albeit still having an ambient-like sound even then. Also, they do have some good hooks in their songs – which we were more than likely to be singing along to every night.

A Road to Damascus (www.myspace.com/aroadtodamascus)
In the end of March this year, our activity coordinator was down with a concussion. Our usual Reverend was off duty for some reason. And the band which was supposed to play had cancelled. But we were in luck – we had a previous temp taking the place of the activity coordinator, Reverend Asser Skude (who is known for his work for homeless people and running for Bishop of Copenhagen back in 2009) to take Per the Reverend’s place, and a voluntary who had a connection to A Road to Damascus, who were able to bring their energy to the Church.
And what energy! During a Rock Service, the band is situated in front of the altar, which is on a raised platform with two steps down to the floor of the rest of the Church. Not only did they perform from the platform, but also jumped down in front of it. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced so much energy from a band performing at any service in Brorson’s before!

Turnip Greens (www.myspace.com/turnipgreens)
I was really impressed with their sound – being really south state/R&B/country/blues-y; I never heard that in Brorson’s before, making Turnip Greens standing out in my memory for a long time to come.

Five songs never escaping my memory
White Pony: “Falling” (Watch @ YouTube)
I remember this song from the 2009 Brocktour. One of the volunteers couldn’t get it out of her head – especially the “There’s only one right side, and that’s the downside…” part – and she had to bless us by playing it out loud…
Black Rose Trick: “Black Water” (Listen @ MySpace)
This is one of the songs I was talking about in the space above – although some of us would by the end of the tour end up telling them to get the damn bird out of the water and get on with it.
The song is still on their page at the time this entry is published.
Black Rose Trick: “By the River” (Listen @ MySpace)
This one, though, I believe was the absolute favorite of the giv-et-år medarbejder (give a year employee) and I – singing along to the gorgeous “oo-ooh, a-ah-a-ah-ah, oo-ooh, aa-ah…”-hook. I still get into the spirit of the Brocktour when listening to it.
The song is still on their page at the time this entry is published.
Black Rose Trick: “On My Knees” (Listen @ MySpace)
Not only one, but two catchy “ooh”-based hooks was on the live version of this, as the lead singer had taken over the melody in the end of the song. But what caught me was the subject of being on one knees in front of a “Majesty” – which was the only word I caught of the song to start with, thinking of the higher powers as Majesties. And it still pops into my head for no reason whatsoever every now and then.
The song is still on their page at the time this entry is published.
A Road to Damascus: “Sweetheart” (Listen @ MySpace)
I have to admit that I was trying to find the song by Niepoort where Gustav was singing through the tiny megaphone – but couldn’t find it (so much for the song not escaping…). And again – ARtD to the rescue! This is not because they’re second to anyone – they are second to noone – they’re just that good (proven by the fact that I remember their energy and performance over the circumstances of the service they played at).
What strikes me about the song is that its vibe is opposite the vibe I got from the performance at the Rock Service – and yet it’s the one of the three on their MySpace page that illustrates their performing enery during the service.
The song is still on their page at the time this entry is published.

Etta Cameron Homage
Etta Cameron hat a decent part of gospel history in Denmark – even collaborating with one of the first idols of mine, Stig Rossen. Although I think I prefer gospel with her kind of voice, she did have a decent talent for jazz as well – proven in this video I found on YouTube.

There is a translation of what she says below the video.

“The music has been like medicine to me. I was so young when my mother died, and that was not that long after my father. And when I was very, very, very sad or scared, because I was alone, I just sang. No matter if it was jazz or it was gospel or blues or whatever. It’s something that I have always appreciated, and I always will. But it has meant medicine to me. Really. It was big, has always been big to me, the music.” – Etta Cameron.

Taped on Copenhagen Jazzhouse, aired on TV2 Charlie.

The Top 5 most played on my portable music player is as of right now:
1. “Slow Me Down” (Emmy Rossum)
2. “Teardrop (LP Version)” (Massive Attack)
3. “Come Around” (Timbaland feat. Mia)
4. “Walk This Way” (Aerosmith & Run DMC)
5. “Stay” (Emmy Rossum)

Got any reactions? Suggestions? Requests? Comment/reply away.

Follow Friday #2: Comic Strips and Music!

On Follow Friday this week:
1. Introduction
2. Podcast: Best of MySpace
3. Twitter: Comic Strips
4. Blog: Michael Fry
5. Next Week/Drop Me a Line.

I thought I’d try to pick up on Follow Friday again, since I’ve been trying to pick up on Music Monday – and let’s face it, I could use something steady to keep up the blog. And not to worry, I’ll try to simplify it a bit so I won’t give away as much info/take so much confusing space as I did on the first Follow Friday.

Since the last time we spoke, I have finished listening to all of the podcasts of De Sorte Spejdere – so although I might just be thrown into fits of laughter once more if listening to them again, there is nothing new – only repeats. So I have been jumping the internet source of my podcast software – plus re-visiting DR.dk to download the podcasts of a few more programs after listening to the radio. I have also been adding a few individuals to my list on Twitter. Hopefully you’ll like the ones I picked!

The podcast I would like to introduce to you is Best of MySpace, a show made as a podcast by iCast and hosted by Gill Mills.
It’s made to make the way through the MySpace jungle easier to get through, as you don’t have to stop and smell all the flowers on the way. Gill has, with the help of the listeners, picked the most colorful and less smelly of them for you (which does ends up, as she admits, as a very subjective list of artists and songs – but what the heck, so do my Follow Fridays and Music Mondays).
As a last note, I might add that this podcast might speak more to the rockfans in the audience – although she does throw in a bit of hip-hop and R’n’B now and then – but give it a chance anyway. You may be surprised.

(And no, I can’t promise I won’t be using this podcast as a part of Music Monday in the future! But let me just get properly into it, and then see.)

In the Twitterverse, I have come across Hammy the Squirrel (@Hammyhimself). You probably remember him from Over the Hedge (there’s a Hammys through History-thing going on right now – you can go subscribe to Over the Hedge as a daily comic). “Hammy” sends out cute, funny, and at times philosophical statements – like one of my favorites so far:

Today is the the beginning of the ending of the start of the finish of the opening of the closing of forgetting what I was remembering.

“Over the Hedge” is made by Michael Fry, who I’m also following on Twitter (@_MichaelFry) where he is sending out comments and updates on blogposts, and T Lewis.

Plus, of course, the two of them have a tendency to retweet each other.

The blog I’m mentioning today is actually that very blog of Michael Fry. The blogposts with the Over the Hedge-strips aside, I remember one specific blogpost in particular – How to Lose Weight – where he describes the Mike Fry diet and concludes:

Eat less. Exercise more. Listen to your wife. Savor your treats.

It should only take another ten years to lose the other twenty pounds.

I have no idea what will come up next week. Yet again, I can imagine it having something to do with music, languages, and travelling. Maybe even photography. I have no idea!

Suggestions? Reactions? Comments?

Music Monday #2: MySpace

On Music Monday this week:
1. Introduction
2. Five Picks
3. Top 5 Most Played Songs on Music Player
4. Drop me a line.

Can’t we just pretend it’s still Monday?

Today, my focus is on MySpace – since I think it’s an excellent place for music (and comedy and whatnot). And no, I don’t think I’ll be focussing on big names already released on big time record labels.

Here are my five picks this week:
Maja Toudal – http://www.myspace.com/majatoudalmusic
Maja Toudal is a singer/songwriter with a crystal clear voice. She started writing poetry, making music as a pre-teen and – as far as I’ve understood – she lives and breathes for it.

Nadja Loran – http://www.myspace.com/nadjaloran
Here’s a girl I remember from being a teenager; back then I didn’t know what would become of her if she didn’t become a singer. She’s bright, intelligent, so I have no doubt she would make it at whatever she puts her mind to, but yet again we have a case of someone wanting something enough – and having the talent to do it.
Personally, I enjoy the sweet attitude and the sense of the Danish term hygge in her music.

Emilie Delance – http://www.myspace.com/emiliedelance
The first time I heard Emilie sing was at a gospel workshop in Jerusalemskirken back in 2007. The workshop was a joint venture between the adult gospel choirs of Gospelkirken/Jerusalemskirken; Emilie was in one choir, I was (and am still) in another. I was blown away by the depth of her voice, and was thrilled to find her on MySpace – even while she only had that one song up there, and (though also regrettably) continues to have it that way.

Farven Luft – http://www.myspace.com/farvenluft
Speaking of the gospel choir I sing in, the director and the pianist of this choir are in a band called Farven Luft (meaning: the Color Air). If asked, I would initially have reacted by describing them af avantgarde jazz, as I know that both Sofie (the director and lead singer) and Anders (on the keys) are into that. But listening to them again, I agree more to the categories they have put on MySpace: alternative, pop, and experimental.
Although it may not be typically within the borders of my musical taste and I may have a certain weakness for the band because of Sofie and Anders, I still do enjoy the experimentality (so to say) and the bohemian girlishness/princess-ity that Sofie sometimes adds to it, and the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/Lemony Snicket-like gloominess that are also present every now and then (just watch the video for “Circus”, and poof! there it is, the stuff I’m talking about).
They’re making a new record, thus there are a few pre-master tracks up on their profile.

Mames Babegenush – http://www.myspace.com/mambab
Mames Babegenush is a band playing Balkan folk music – but consisting of Danish musicians. This is the kind of music I never thought I’d enjoy listen to for long, but somehow I’m drawn to it again and again.

The Top 5 most played on my portable music player is as of right now:
Actually, they’re just the same as last week…:
1. A-Gusta (Safri Duo)
2. Snakefood (Safri Duo)
3. Samb-Adagio (Safri Duo)
4. Take Me To That Place (KEFAS)
5. I Got Joy (KEFAS)

Just to amuse you (or is it myself?…), here are the most played songs on my portable player right now (BESIDES Safri Duo and KEFAS!):
1. Slow Me Down (Emmy Rossum)
2. Teardrop (LP Version) (Massive Attack)
3. Canto Alla Vita (Josh Groban/The Corrs)
4. Stay (Emmy Rossum)
5. Beep (Pussycat Dolls)

Got any reactions? Suggestions? Requests? Comment away!